Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Assad says West will pay for backing al Qaeda in Syria
Reuters ^ | Wednesday, April 17, 2013 | Dominic Evans and Mariam Karouny; Editing by Jon Hemming

Posted on 04/20/2013 5:32:48 PM PDT by SunkenCiv

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said Western nations will suffer the consequences for what he said was their support for al Qaeda militants in his country's civil war.

"The West has paid heavily for funding al Qaeda in its early stages in Afghanistan. Today it is supporting it in Syria, Libya and other places, and will pay a heavy price later in the heart of Europe and the United States," he told Syrian television channel al-Ikhbariya, according to extracts published on the Syrian presidency's Facebook page on Wednesday.

Assad was speaking a week after Syria's rebel al-Nusra Front, one of the most effective rebel forces battling his troops, formally pledged allegiance to al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri.

The United States has designated the Nusra Front a terrorist organization and the presence of militant Islamists in Syria's two-year conflict poses a quandary for Western powers who favor Assad's overthrow, but are alarmed at the growing influence of the Islamists in Syria.

"The truth is, what is happening is that we are mainly facing extremist forces," Assad said in the interview.

The United Nations says more than 70,000 people have been killed in Syria's conflict, which started as mainly peaceful protests two years ago but has evolved into a civil war.

(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...


TOPICS: Israel; Russia; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: afghanistan; alnusrafront; alqaeda; alqaedasyria; assad; bho44; bhomiddleeast; husseinobama; israel; libya; muslimworld; russia; syria; syriaalqaeda; syriawar; waronterror
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-43 last
To: SunkenCiv

What about the arms The US and Ben Ghazi sent into the country?


41 posted on 04/21/2013 6:40:01 PM PDT by Paladin2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 40 | View Replies]

To: Kenny Bunk
GHWB backed the Bosnians and Kosovar Albanians
GW Backed the Kosovar Albanians
Clinton went to war against Serbia to support the Kosovar Albanians

100% correct.

I also agree with you about the Serbian situation. They are quite capable of atrocities, but the story we were given was completely one sided, and in no way helpful to the people living in the Balkans.

Some of the Balkans war stories - like the allegations that the Serbs were running "rape camps" were deliberate fabrications.

42 posted on 04/22/2013 12:02:48 AM PDT by BlackVeil
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv

You need to look a little deeper.

We certainly are supporting Al Quaeda and sending them weapons.

They may call it the Muslim Brotherhood, but it is Al Quaeda.


43 posted on 04/22/2013 2:29:18 AM PDT by Venturer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-43 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson